Smuggler abandons 6-year-old in blazing desert heat

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - A 6-year-old Costa Rican boy was rescued by U.S. Border Patrol agents after he was abandoned on a border road in Arizona on Tuesday evening.

The agents discovered the boy just north of the border west of Lukeville in temperatures over 100 degrees.

The child claimed that he was dropped off by "his uncle" and that Border Patrol would pick him up. Agents say the boy said he was on his way to see his mother in the U.S.

They say that the child was found in good condition.  He was taken to Tucson to be checked out and processed.  It was unclear what would happen to him next.

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The Border Patrol says the incident highlights the dangers faced by migrants at the hands of smugglers. Children in particular are extremely vulnerable, not only to exploitation, but also to the elements in the environment.

They added that Arizona’s desert "is a merciless environment for those unprepared for its remote, harsh terrain and unpredictable weather."